Multi-beam antenna arrays are generally implemented using active or passive antenna array architectures. An active multi-beam array requires development of high-power transmit/receive modules that require complex high-speed digital processing. Passive large-aperture phased arrays generally suffer from excessive losses in complex beam forming networks.
An alternative multi-beam antenna array makes use of a dielectric microwave lens fed by spatially distributed feed antennas. However, use of such a dielectric microwave lens may suffer from significant losses caused by impedance mismatches between the lens aperture and feed antenna. Furthermore, lenses operating at low microwave frequencies are generally bulky, heavy and expensive to manufacture. In the past decades, several types of planar microwave lenses have been proposed using antenna elements connected using phase shifting devices. However, these methods generally suffer from poor scanning performance. Furthermore, these antennas typically require a large spacing between the feed antennas and the lens aperture, which increases an antenna's profile significantly.
An additional, alternative and/or improved multi-beam antenna array assembly is desirable.